Arthur Dahl's
Blog at International Environment Forum

Islamic Declaration on Global Climate
Change: A Review

After drafting work by a group of leading academics, and wide circulation
for consultation, an Islamic
Declaration on Global Climate Change was adopted at an
international Islamic Climate Change Symposium, held in Istanbul, Turkey,
on 17-18 August 2015(1) (see ANNEX).
The document is a significant addition to other religious declarations on
this critical issue for the future of humanity, alongside those of the
Bahá'í International Community's statement in 2008: Seizing the
Opportunity: Redefining the Challenge of Climate Change (2)
and the Pope's June 2015 encyclical Laudato Si': on care for our
common home (3) reviewed on this web site (4),
among others.

The symposium brought together leading Muslim scholars, diplomats and
experts from across the Muslim world, as well as other leading experts
from different faiths. One of the speakers at the Symposium was
International Environment Forum member Dr. Halldor Thorgeirsson from the
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat.

The Islamic Declaration is divided into three parts: a preamble that sets
the scientific context, a set of affirmations of principles based on
Qur'anic texts, and calls addressed to particular groups to take up their
responsibilities for responding to climate change.

The preamble starts by setting the Islamic context,
acknowledging Allah (God) as the creator of the universe, and human
responsibility to serve the Lord of all beings. It then summarizes in
several paragraphs the current scientific understanding of climate change
and its human causes, causes which are in contradiction with our
responsibility to be the caretaker of the earth and to maintain its
equilibrium. It lists various reasons for concern, including the risks to
the poor and disadvantaged, and risks of abrupt and irreversible changes.
It notes with alarm that we are accelerating our own destruction and
approaching the threshold for catastrophic climate change. It calls for a
proactive approach to halt and hopefully reverse the damage being wrought.
As with the Pope's encyclical and long-standing Bahá'í principles, this
section demonstrates the new convergence of science and religion on
environmental issues.

The affirmations of Qur'anic principles bring out the
spiritual foundations of the need to act on climate change. Allah is the
Lord, Creator and Sustainer of all beings, and He encompasses all of His
creation. He created the Earth in a perfect equilibrium of natural
resources and cycles in which all living beings thrive. Humans have
corrupted the Earth in their pursuit of economic growth and consumption,
causing climate change, pollution, soil erosion and deforestation, and
damage to human health. Humans are exceptionally powerful, with a
responsibility to establish good and to avert evil, with no right to
oppress the rest of creation or to cause it harm. Our intelligence and
conscience require us to treat all things with care, compassion and utmost
good. We are accountable for all our actions. The section concludes with
our responsibility to follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad, Who
protected the rights of all living beings, conserved water, established
protected areas, lived a frugal life free of excess and ostentation,
renewed and recycled his possessions, ate simple healthy food with little
meat, and took delight in the created world.

Such themes are common to many religious traditions. 'Abdu'l-Bahá,
speaking at Stanford University in 1912, stated that "The elements and
lower organisms are synchronized in the great plan of life"; then
He asked, "Shall man, infinitely above them in degree, be antagonistic
and a destroyer of that perfection?"(5) He also
wrote that "it is not only their fellow human beings that the beloved
of God must treat with mercy and compassion, rather must they show forth
the utmost loving-kindness to every living creature."(6)
He similarly set an example of a simple life.

Calls to Groups to Take Up Their Responsiblities for Climate
Change. The third part of the Declaration issues
calls to significant actors responsible for climate change. The Paris
Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change, 30 November-11 December 2015, should bring its discussions to an
equitable and binding conclusion, with the enormous responsibility to lead
all of us to a new way of relating to God's Earth. The well-off nations
and oil-producing states should lead in phasing out greenhouse gas
emissions to stay within a 2°C or preferably 1.5°C limit for global
warming, leaving two-thirds of the earth's proven fossil fuel reserves in
the ground, and investing in the creation of a green economy. They have a
moral obligation to reduce consumption so that the poor may benefit, to
preserve the environment rather than profiting unethically from it, and to
elevate the condition of the world's poor.

The Declaration makes a broad call to the people of all nations
and their leaders to phase out greenhouse gas emissions and to commit to
decentralized renewable energy. Economic growth should be pursued wisely
and in moderation, with priority to adaptation and increasing resilience
to climate-change impacts, especially for the most vulnerable. The Declaration
calls for "a fresh model of well-being, based on an alternative to the
current financial model which depletes resources, degrades the
environment, and deepens inequality". Corporations, finance and the
business sector should shoulder the consequences of their profit-making
activities, reducing their carbon footprint and environmental impacts,
committing to and shifting investments into renewable energy while
divesting from the fossil-fuel-driven economy. They should change from the
current business model that is based on an unsustainable escalating
economy, and adopt a circular economy that is wholly sustainable and more
socially and ecologically responsible. All groups are invited to join in
collaboration, cooperation and competition in good deeds, in particular
welcoming the significant contributions of other faiths offering the best
of their respective traditions, since all can be winners.

The final call is to all Muslims, with a long list from Heads of State to
congregations and community activists, not to "strut arrogantly on the
earth", and to bear in mind the Hadith that "The world is sweet
and verdant, and verily Allah has made you stewards in it, and He sees
how you acquit yourselves."

Conclusion. Common themes among the three declarations
from Islam, the Catholic Church and the Bahá'ís are the link between
poverty and climate change, and the fact that these are both symptoms of
an underlying spiritual illness, requiring a significant transformation in
the materialistic economy. Such declarations have the potential to take
their messages of planetary responsibility far beyond what scientific
declarations or even government efforts can reach. Their acceptance of the
scientific reality of climate change, combined with an ethical and
spiritual message of responsibility to act, will reinforce efforts to make
the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. The fact
that many oil-producing nations are dominantly Muslim, and that the Islamic
Declaration specifically targets these states and calls for the oil
to be left in the ground, should have particular impact in the years
ahead. The opening to interfaith collaboration is also welcome in helping
to counteract growing religious intolerance in many quarters.

The Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change can be another
important milestone in the necessary planetary mobilization to try to head
off catastrophic climate change.

1.1 God – Whom we know as
Allah – has created the universe in all its diversity, richness and
vitality: the stars, the sun and moon, the earth and all its communities
of living beings. All these reflect and manifest the boundless glory and
mercy of their Creator. All created beings by nature serve and glorify
their Maker, all bow to their Lord’s will. We human beings are created to
serve the Lord of all beings, to work the greatest good we can for all the
species, individuals, and generations of God’s creatures.

1.2 Our planet has existed
for billions of years and climate change in itself is not new. The earth’s
climate has gone through phases wet and dry, cold and warm, in response to
many natural factors. Most of these changes have been gradual, so that the
forms and communities of life have adjusted accordingly. There have been
catastrophic climate changes that brought about mass extinctions, but over
time, life adjusted even to these impacts, flowering anew in the emergence
of balanced ecosystems such as those we treasure today. Climate change in
the past was also instrumental in laying down immense stores of fossil
fuels from which we derive benefits today. Ironically, our unwise and
short-sighted use of these resources is now resulting in the destruction
of the very conditions that have made our life on earth possible.

1.3 The pace of Global
climate change today is of a different order of magnitude from the gradual
changes that previously occurred throughout the most recent era, the
Cenozoic. Moreover, it is human-induced: we have now become a force
dominating nature. The epoch in which we live has increasingly been
described in geological terms as the Anthropocene, or “Age of Humans”. Our
species, though selected to be a caretaker or steward (khalifah)
on the earth, has been the cause of such corruption and devastation on it
that we are in danger ending life as we know it on our planet. This
current rate of climate change cannot be sustained, and the earth’s fine
equilibrium (mīzān) may soon be lost. As we humans are woven into
the fabric of the natural world, its gifts are for us to savour. But the
same fossil fuels that helped us achieve most of the prosperity we see
today are the main cause of climate change. Excessive pollution from
fossil fuels threatens to destroy the gifts bestowed on us by God, whom we
know as Allah – gifts such as a functioning climate, healthy air to
breathe, regular seasons, and living oceans. But our attitude to these
gifts has been short-sighted, and we have abused them. What will future
generations say of us, who leave them a degraded planet as our legacy? How
will we face our Lord and Creator?

1.4 We note that the
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (UNEP, 2005) and backed by over 1300
scientists from 95 countries, found that “overall, people have made
greater changes to ecosystems in the last half of the 20th century than at
any time in human history… these changes have enhanced human well-being,
but have been accompanied by ever increasing degradation (of our
environment).”

“Human activity is putting such a strain on the natural functions of the
earth that the ability of the planet’s ecosystems to sustain future
generations can no longer be taken for granted.”

1.5 Nearly ten years later,
and in spite of the numerous conferences that have taken place to try to
agree on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, the overall state of the Earth
has steadily deteriorated. A study by the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) comprising representatives from over 100 nations
published in March 2014 gave five reasons for concern. In summary, they
are:

Ecosystems and human cultures are already at risk from climate change;

Risks resulting from climate change caused by extreme events such as
heat waves, extreme precipitation and coastal flooding are on the rise;

These risks are unevenly distributed, and are generally greater for
the poor and disadvantaged communities of every country, at all levels
of development;

The Earth’s core physical systems themselves are at risk of abrupt and
irreversible changes.

We are driven to conclude from these warnings that there are serious
flaws in the way we have used natural resources – the sources of life on
Earth. An urgent and radical reappraisal is called for. Humankind cannot
afford the slow progress we have seen in all the COP (Conference of
Parties – climate change negotiations) processes since the Millennium
Ecosystem Assessment was published in 2005, or the present deadlock.

1.6 In the brief period since
the Industrial Revolution, humans have consumed much of the non-renewable
resources which have taken the earth 250 million years to produce – all in
the name of economic development and human progress. We note with alarm
the combined impacts of rising per capita consumption combined with the
rising human population. We also note with alarm the multi-national
scramble now taking place for more fossil fuel deposits under the
dissolving ice caps in the arctic regions. We are accelerating our own
destruction through these processes.

1.7 Leading climate
scientists now believe that a rise of two degrees centigrade in global
temperature, which is considered to be the “tipping point”, is now very
unlikely to be avoided if we continue with business-as-usual; other
leading climate scientists consider 1.5 degrees centigrade to be a more
likely “tipping point”. This is the point considered to be the threshold
for catastrophic climate change, which will expose yet more millions of
people and countless other creatures to drought, hunger and flooding. The
brunt of this will continue to be borne by the poor, as the Earth
experiences a drastic increase in levels of carbon in the atmosphere
brought on in the period since the onset of the industrial revolution.

1.8 It is alarming that in
spite of all the warnings and predictions, the successor to the Kyoto
Protocol which should have been in place by 2012, has been delayed. It is
essential that all countries, especially the more developed nations,
increase their efforts and adopt the pro-active approach needed to halt
and hopefully eventually reverse the damage being wrought.

WE AFFIRM

2.1 We affirm that Allah is
the Lord and Sustainer (Rabb) of all beings

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Praise be to Allah, Lord and Sustainer of all beingsQur’an 1: 1

He is the One Creator – He is al-Khāliq

هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ

He is Allah – the Creator, the Maker, the Giver of FormQur’an 59: 24

الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ

He Who has perfected every thing He has createdQur’an 32: 7

Nothing that He creates is without value: each thing is created bi
’l-haqq, in truth and for right.

He raised the heaven and established the balance
So that you would not transgress the balance.
Give just weight – do not skimp in the balance.
He laid out the earth for all living creatures.Qur’an 55: 7-10

So set your face firmly towards the (natural) Way
As a pure, natural believer
Allah’s natural pattern on which He made mankind
There is no changing Allah’s creation.
That is the true (natural) Way
But most people do not know it.Quran 30: 30

2.5 We recognize the
corruption (fasād) that humans have caused on the Earth due to
our relentless pursuit of economic growth and consumption. Its
consequences have been –

Global climate change, which is our present concern, in addition to:

Contamination and befoulment of the atmosphere, land, inland water
systems, and seas;

Corruption has appeared on land and sea
Because of what people’s own hands have wrought,
So that they may taste something of what they have done;
So that hopefully they will turn back.Qur’an 30: 41

2.6 We recognize that we are
but a miniscule part of the divine order, yet within that order, we are
exceptionally powerful beings, and have the responsibility to establish
good and avert evil in every way we can. We also recognize that –

We are but one of the multitude of living beings with whom we share
the Earth;

We have no right to oppress the rest of creation or cause it harm;

Intelligence and conscience behoove us, as our faith commands, to
treat all things with care and awe (taqwa) of their Creator,
compassion (rahmah) and utmost good (ihsan).

Then he who has done an atom’s weight of good, shall see it;
and he who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it.Qur’an 99:6-8

2.8 In view of these
considerations we affirm that our responsibility as Muslims is to act
according to the example of the Prophet Muhammad (God’s peace and
blessings be upon him) who –

Declared and protected the rights of all living beings, outlawed the
custom of burying infant girls alive, prohibited killing living beings
for sport, guided his companions to conserve water even in washing for
prayer, forbade the felling of trees in the desert, ordered a man who
had taken some nestlings from their nest to return them to their mother,
and when he came upon a man who had lit a fire on an anthill, commanded,
“Put it out, put it out!”;

Established inviolable zones (harams) around Makkah and
Al-Madinah, within which native plants may not be felled or cut and wild
animals may not be hunted or disturbed;

Established protected areas (himas) for the conservation and
sustainable use of rangelands, plant cover and wildlife.

Lived a frugal life, free of excess, waste, and ostentation;

Renewed and recycled his meagre possessions by repairing or giving
them away;

Ate simple, healthy food, which only occasionally included meat;

Took delight in the created world; and

Was, in the words of the Qur’an, “a mercy to all beings.”

WE CALL

3.1 We call upon the
Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the
Kyoto Protocol taking place in Paris this December, 2015 to bring their
discussions to an equitable and binding conclusion, bearing in mind –

The scientific consensus on climate change, which is to stabilize
greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere at a level that would
prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate systems;

The need to set clear targets and monitoring systems;

The dire consequences to planet earth if we do not do so;

The enormous responsibility the COP shoulders on behalf of the rest of
humanity, including leading the rest of us to a new way of relating to
God’s Earth.

3.2 We particularly call on
the well-off nations and oil-producing states to –

Lead the way in phasing out their greenhouse gas emissions as early as
possible and no later than the middle of the century;

Provide generous financial and technical support to the less well-off
to achieve a phase-out of greenhouse gases as early as possible;

Recognize the moral obligation to reduce consumption so that the poor
may benefit from what is left of the earth’s non-renewable resources;

Stay within the ‘2 degree’ limit, or, preferably, within the ‘1.5
degree’ limit, bearing in mind that two-thirds of the earth’s proven
fossil fuel reserves remain in the ground;

Re-focus their concerns from unethical profit from the environment, to
that of preserving it and elevating the condition of the world’s poor.

Invest in the creation of a green economy.

3.3 We call on the people of
all nations and their leaders to –

Aim to phase out greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible in order
to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere;

Commit themselves to 100 % renewable energy and/or a zero emissions
strategy as early as possible, to mitigate the environmental impact of
their activities;

Invest in decentralized renewable energy, which is the best way to
reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development;

Realize that to chase after unlimited economic growth in a planet that
is finite and already overloaded is not viable. Growth must be pursued
wisely and in moderation; placing a priority on increasing the
resilience of all, and especially the most vulnerable, to the climate
change impacts already underway and expected to continue for many years
to come.

Set in motion a fresh model of well-being, based on an alternative to
the current financial model which depletes resources, degrades the
environment, and deepens inequality.

Prioritise adaptation efforts with appropriate support to the
vulnerable countries with the least capacity to adapt. And to vulnerable
groups, including indigenous peoples, women and children.

3.4 We call upon
corporations, finance, and the business sector to –

Shoulder the consequences of their profit-making activities, and take
a visibly more active role in reducing their carbon footprint and other
forms of impact upon the natural environment;

In order to mitigate the environmental impact of their activities,
commit themselves to 100 % renewable energy and/or a zero emissions
strategy as early as possible and shift investments into renewable
energy;

Change from the current business model which is based on an
unsustainable escalating economy, and to adopt a circular economy that
is wholly sustainable;

Pay more heed to social and ecological responsibilities, particularly
to the extent that they extract and utilize scarce resources;

Assist in the divestment from the fossil fuel driven economy and the
scaling up of renewable energy and other ecological alternatives.

3.5 We call on all groups to
join us in collaboration, co-operation and friendly competition in this
endeavour and we welcome the significant contributions taken by other
faiths, as we can all be winners in this race.

وَلَكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُم فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ

He (God) wanted to test you regarding what has
come to you. So compete with each other
in doing good deeds.Qur’an 5: 48

If we each offer the best of our respective traditions, we may yet see a
way through our difficulties.